Bocca della Verità & Chiesa di Santa Maria in Cosmedin

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  • Address
    Piazza della Bocca della Verità 18, Capitoline
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  • Phone
    06 678 14 19
  • Transport
    bus: Via dei Cerchi

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Lonely Planet review

The 'Mouth of Truth' is Rome's most famous lie detector: it's a mask-shaped ancient manhole cover known to bite off the hand of fibbers (priests apparently slipped scorpions in there to help it along). If you pass the test, pop into the adjoining 8th-century Chiesa di Santa Maria in Cosmedin for some stunning Cosmati interiors. The church's portico and bell tower were 12th-century additions, while the three columns embedded in the nave were part of an ancient market colonnade.